The American Sesame Growers
Association is organized to promote and encourage the establishment
and maintenance of conditions favorable to the production of non-dehiscent
varieties of sesame in the United States and to the marketing, processing
and use of U.S. grown sesame in both domestic and export markets.

ASGA was formed in February
2006 following a meeting of a group of sesame growers who concluded
that:

They needed a voice in US
farm programs to insure a "level playing field" with other
field crops.

They needed to have a forum
to interact with the sesame industry.

They needed to be able to
interact among the different sesame growing regions to develop common
goals and programs.

The initial goals are were
to work with USDA and Congress to initiate an APH Multiple Peril Crop
Insurance pilot program for sesame. This became a protracted project
which resulted in our success when, on 28 October 2010, the Risk Management
Agency (RMA) of USDA released the completed program for the 2011 crop.
There is a pilot program in 29 counties in Texas and Oklahoma.

The second major accomplishment in 2010 was to receive permanent approval
from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the use of S-metolachlor
(Dual Magnum®) herbicide for the pre-emergent control of annual
grasses and small seeded broadleaves.
This product had received temporary approval for use in the 2009 crop
and again for the 2010 crop and has proved its ability to help increase
yields.

The association's long-term goals include promoting the production and
greater consumption of sesame in the United States and in foreign markets
for both food and industrial uses.

As sesame is a relatively new crop to the United States, we have accepted
the challenge of bringing our story to the US agricultural community,
agricultural policy makers and the food industry. We would like to express
our appreciation for the interest, encouragement and support we are
receiving.